Barney's Blog

Doug's Mailbag: Tablet Talk

ARM tablets running Windows 8 can not join domains or be managed by anything key management tools used at the enterprise-level (well, except for Activesync -- but that does not count as a software management tool, as no AD policies or System Center tools can touch it). This extremely aggravating detail means that most of the affordable, big-battery-life tablets for the enterprise won't be manageable. I am certain that management all over the world is going to be buying Windows 8 tablets at Best Buy for $300 and then get ticked at their IT guys because they can't put their tablets on the network and give them access to their files -- even though the guy next to them has a domain-integrated Intel tablet running Windows 8 (at twice the price). RRRRRgh...-Garry

I think MS will do better than expect in the tablet market, especially in the enterprise because of all the enterprise features (connecting to domain, central management of policies, disk encryption, integration with Exchange, etc.). I just hope they change their mind and include the same Enterprise features on their Windows on ARM (WOA) as well. Not all enterprise users will need the full-blown i86 tablets. Once Microsoft gets a hold on the enterprise tablet market, then it will start being taken more seriously in the consumer market. MS will be OK as long as it does not fight the competition where it already has a stronghold, but make first priority to make Win8 tablets the tablet of choice for businesses (which no one has a real stronghold on yet).- 80s Rocker

What I'm hoping for in a Win 8 tablet: I'd like enterprise support, tools to manage my servers and a decent Exchange client. I'd like a file system that I could see/manipulate/control.

I'd like to get out of Apple's balance sheet.-Greg

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